Description

JAMES REED MILLER (SOUTH CAROLINA, FEBRUARY 29, 1880 – NEW YORK, DECEMBER 29, 1923)

 

 

 

 

He was a sought-after soloist in New York churches for over 15 years before embarking on a highly successful career as a concert and oratorio singer. He performed at almost all major American music festivals and gained recognition, not least through his recordings. He was married to alto Nevada Van der Veer (1870–1958). Together with her, soprano Agnes Kimball, and bass-baritone Frank Croxton, he formed the Croxton Quartet, which achieved great success in concert performances.

Records: Numerous recordings have preserved his expressive, beautiful tenor voice. His first recordings appeared in 1909 on Columbia, followed by releases on Edison (both records and Amberola cylinders), Vocalion, Rex, Pathé, and Victor. Duets with Reinald Werrenrath were also issued on Victor. His last recordings on Vocalion date from 1923. Some recordings were released under the stage name James Reed. Unlike many other American recording artists of his time, his recordings maintain a high musical standard. The Croxton Quartet can also be heard (sometimes anonymously) on Edison cylinders.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Amarella waltz (Jesse M. Winne) 17241 B-12497 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1912

Beauty’s eyes (Tosti) 5821 B-9704 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1910

Dream girl o’ mine (Freeborn) 17572 B-14506 Victor Camden, New Jersey 1914

Every lover must meet his fate (Victor Herbert) 17333 B-13215 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1913

Exhortation (Will Marion Cook) 17695 B-15265, Victor Camden, New Jersey 1914

Flow gently, sweet Afton (Jonathan E. Spilman) 17386 B-13455 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1913

Friend to the end (Eysler) 17555 B-14507, Victor Camden, New Jersey 1914

Love, here is my heart! (Silésu) 17916 B-16732 Victor Camden, New Jersey 1915

Molly O! (Wm. J. Scanlan) 17958 B-15996, Victor Camden, New Jersey 1915

My old Kentucky home (Collins Foster) with Geraldine Farrar, Harry Macdonough and Reinald Werrenrath 87029 B-8273 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1909

My soul is athirst for God (Alfred R. Gaul) 35455 C-13458 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1913

Nita Gitana (De Koven) 17149 B-12131 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1912

Roses in June (German) 5753 B-8276 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1909

Sweet Inniscarra (Olcott) 17676 B-15264, Victor Camden, New Jersey 1914

Tell her I love her so (de Faye) 5829 B-9706 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1910

The army and navy (Cooke) 5832 B-9825 Victor, New York 1911

The fair land of Poland (Balf) 17383 B-13217 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1913

The Lord is my shepherd (Henry Thomas Smart) with Reinald Werrenrath 16869 B-9826 Victor, New York 1911

There are birds in the valley (Lehmann) 17522 B-13446 Victor, Camden, New Jersey 1913

With the wine on the Rhine! (Ries) 35271 C-12498, Victor Camden, New Jersey 1912